Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo is expected be a key player for the St. Louis Blues and Team Canada this season.

But as of now, a contract dispute is putting his season on hold as talks have broken off.

"We're worked in earnest with his representatives trying to get him into training camp," general manager Doug Armstrong told reporters on Wednesday. "We've talked a lot of options as far as number of years. Last night, we gave it a last-ditch kick at the can ... and it didn't hold."

Pietrangelo, 23, led the Blues in average ice time last season at 25 minutes, 6 seconds. He had 24 points in 47 games. He totaled 94 points in the two seasons before that.

"If he misses a week, a month, a year, we're not really sure, but he's not here now, and we have to move forward," Armstrong said, adding, "At some point, we'll re-engage and see if there's a different option that wasn't there."

The Blues have invited defenseman Ryan Whitney to camp as a tryout. Armstrong said that offensive-minded defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk was capable of moving into the No. 1 defense role.

Armstrong said he bears no ill will toward Pietrangelo.

"I think he's a quality young man," he said. "He's a quality player. But economically, we couldn't come to common ground. From my perspective, it doesn't make him a bad guy and hopefully from his perspective, it doesn't make us a bad team."

Armstrong made clear that Pietrangelo was going to be with the Blues at some point and that his team would match any offer sheet.

"If a team is desperate enough that they feel they have to do that, we'll match it," Armstrong said. "If it costs us waiving a player currently on the roster, we'll do that to keep him. He's going to be a Blue. He's a top asset and we're treating him like a top asset."